EP0594872B1 - Assembly for the erection of wall and/or ceiling constructions, in particular in exhibition construction - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

In such arrangements, support profiles usually serve as central construction elements or as corner construction elements, from which walls or ceilings that are at a certain angle to one another originate.

The walls or ceilings are held here by beams designed as hollow profile frames, each of which engages the support profile by means of a turnbuckle. As a result, wall and / or ceiling constructions to be created and varied, e.g. B. booths are usually designed as a uniform square, hexagon or octagon constructors.

An arrangement of the type described in the introduction is disclosed in DE-OS 37 03 907, from which the preamble of claim 1 is already known and the subject of which is already a further development of a similar arrangement which can be found in DE-PS 29 31 026.

In the known turnbuckle construction according to DE-PS 29 31 026, there is a disadvantage in that two to three turns of the tensioning device designed as a screw are required to actuate the turnbuckle. As a result, assembly and disassembly times of the wall or ceiling construction in question are significantly extended. If the tensioning device is operated incorrectly (too strongly), there is also the risk of that the walls of the carrier, which is usually made of aluminum, are so heavily loaded by the spread rear ends of the lateral holding elements that pressure points appear on the outside of the carrier walls.

Further disadvantages of the known turnbuckle according to DE-PS 29 31 026 can be seen in the fact that, due to the loose middle holding element, exact positioning of the hollow profile frames (carrier) is considerably more difficult, that the two lateral holding elements also close on one side, causing displacements of the turnbuckle and of the hollow profile frame held by this, and that an exact centering of the turnbuckle within the hollow profile frame is not possible because the turnbuckle is fixed in the longitudinal direction of the frame only by the screw head of the clamping device. Since the two lateral holding elements of the known turnbuckle do not automatically reset, the disassembly of the hollow profile frames from the support profile is also made more difficult.

Some of the aforementioned shortcomings could be avoided by the known turnbuckle according to DE-OS 37 03 907. However, due to its special construction of the tensioning device, this is practically not possible, at least not at a reasonable cost. For example, the known clamping device designed as an eccentric construction has a metallic core which is encapsulated by a jacket made of plastic material. An actuating groove is incorporated in the plastic jacket, each of which encompasses the two lateral holding elements on the outside. The metallic core of the known clamping device consists of two eccentrically offset, but integrally connected cylindrical elements, one of which protrudes from the plastic casing, designed as a hexagon socket and the other an inner support for the mounting of the clamping device within the middle holding element and for actuating the lateral holding elements serving plastic sheath forms. In addition, the second cylindrical element has support collars formed on both sides, which extend on both sides of the actuating groove.

The disadvantage of a practical application of the known turnbuckle according to DE-OS 37 03 907 is that the plastic sheathing of the tensioning device cannot withstand the high forces that occur when it is actuated in the long run, so that the turnbuckle after a comparatively short operating time due to wear and tear Clamping device becomes unusable. A conceivable production of the tensioning device entirely from metal is ruled out because the tensioning device is structurally too complicated for this. But also the metallic core of the known, plastic-coated clamping device can only be manufactured at high cost due to its complicated design.

The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of the type mentioned at the outset with a turnbuckle which functions precisely, reliably and durably, but which can also be produced at a reasonable cost.

According to the invention, the object is achieved in a generic arrangement by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The tensioning device according to the invention, which should consist of metal for reasons of strength, can be manufactured or processed in a simple and inexpensive manner. A chipless shaping of the tensioning device without subsequent reworking can - preferably - be realized in that the tensioning device or its components consist of sintered metal and / or of die casting. However, it is also conceivable to manufacture the tensioning device from steel. In this case, machining (by turning, milling, etc.) is possible.

The tensioning device according to the invention enables the tensioning lock to be closed and opened easily and reliably due to its beveled inner surfaces, for which purpose only a maximum of half a turn (180 ° rotation) of the tensioning device is required. (Depending on the design and tolerances of the elements to be connected by the turnbuckle, a rake angle of far less than 180 ° may prove sufficient in many cases.)

An expensive eccentric design of the clamping device is not necessary. The one-piece design of the two lateral holding elements also has a cost-effective effect when producing the turnbuckle according to the invention. In addition, however, this concept has the essential advantage that an automatic resilient return of the lateral holding elements from their closed position is achieved in a simple manner as soon as the tensioning device is released.

Another advantage achieved by the arrangement according to the invention is that when the turnbuckle is closed (tensioning of the two lateral holding elements), the tensioning device presses on both sides outward against the inner wall of the hollow profile frame due to the reaction force (spring resistance) of the lateral holding elements, so that the the entire turnbuckle is non-positively fixed within the hollow profile frame.

In the sense of a structurally simple and cost-saving realization of the turnbuckle according to the invention, the features that can be gathered from claim 2 also have an effect. The one-piece design of the lock housing and middle holding element, together with the uniform closing of the side holding elements on both sides, also advantageously ensures perfect, exact positioning and centering of the turnbuckle and thus also the relevant hollow profile frame (carrier) on the assigned support profile.

Advantageous further developments of the invention, which have a favorable effect particularly in terms of production technology and costs, can be found in patent claims 3-5.

An advantageous development and useful application of the features of claim 5 includes claim 8. This results in a reliable limitation to the maximum possible and permissible angle of rotation (180 °) when actuating the tensioning device. This prevents over-tightening.

The features that emerge from patent claim 6 and relate to a special embodiment of the tensioning device make it easy to assemble the tensioning device.

Due to the features of claim 7, the manufacturing of the tensioning device according to the invention from a metal that guarantees sufficient strength can be realized in a simple manner with exact dimensional accuracy, but without complex rework.

The preferred design of the lateral holding elements, which results from patent claim 9, enables precise and reliable actuation through the inclined surfaces on the disk parts of the clamping device.

Fig. 1

- in Draufsicht (teilweise aufgebrochen) und in vergrößerter Darstellung - eine Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Anordnung, mit in Eingriffsstellung befindlichem Spannschloß,

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht des Spannschlosses nach Fig. 1 (Träger und Stützenprofil weggelassen),

Fig. 3

das Gehäuse des aus Fig. 1 und 2 ersichtlichen Spannschlosses, in perspektivischer Separatdarstellung (natürliche Größe),

Fig. 4

die beiden seitlichen Halteelemente des Spannschlosses nach Fig. 1 und 2 in perspektivischer Separatdarstellung (natürliche Größe),

Fig. 5

ein Spannvorrichtungselement der zweiteiligen Spannvorrichtung des Spannschlosses nach Fig. 1 und 2 in Seitenansicht (natürliche Größe),

Fig. 6

den Gegenstand von Fig. 5, in Pfeilrichtung A (Fig. 5) betrachtet,

Fig. 7

den Gegenstand von Fig. 5, in Pfeilrichtung B (Fig. 5) betrachtet,

Fig. 8

das andere Spannvorrichtungselement der zweiteiligen Spannvorrichtung des Spannschlosses nach Fig. 1 und 2 in Seitenansicht (natürliche Größe),

Fig. 9

den Gegenstand von Fig. 8, in Pfeilrichtung C (Fig. 8) betrachtet, und

Fig. 10

das Spannschloß nach Fig. 1 und 2, in perspektivischer Separatdarstellung.

An exemplary embodiment, which is shown in the drawing and is described below, serves to illustrate and explain the invention in more detail. It shows:

Fig. 1

- in plan view (partially broken open) and in an enlarged view - an embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, with the turnbuckle in the engaged position,

Fig. 2

2 shows a side view of the turnbuckle according to FIG. 1 (support and support profile omitted),

Fig. 3

the housing of the turnbuckle shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a perspective separate representation (natural size),

Fig. 4

the two lateral holding elements of the turnbuckle according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in a perspective separate representation (natural size),

Fig. 5

a clamping device element of the two-part clamping device of the turnbuckle according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in side view (natural size),

Fig. 6

5, viewed in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 5),

Fig. 7

5 viewed in the direction of arrow B (FIG. 5),

Fig. 8

the other clamping device element of the two-part clamping device of the turnbuckle according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in side view (natural size),

Fig. 9

the object of Fig. 8, viewed in the direction of arrow C (Fig. 8), and

Fig. 10

the turnbuckle according to FIGS. 1 and 2, in a separate perspective view.

In Fig. 1, 10 denotes a support profile designed as a drawn hollow cylinder profile, which has on its circumference a number of outlets divisible by 3 and 4, preferably 24 outlets in the form of webs T-shaped in cross section 11 with grooves 12 therebetween. A support 13 is fastened to the support profile 10 in a radial arrangement, to which wall or ceiling parts (not shown) can in turn be attached in a suitable manner.

A separate turnbuckle, which is 14 overall, is used to fasten the carrier 13 to the support profile 10.

It has three holding elements 15, 16 and 17, which each engage radially in three adjacent grooves 12 between four adjacent webs 11 of the support profile 10. The distances between the webs 11 and the dimensions of the holding elements 15, 16 and 17 at their ends facing the support profile 10 are coordinated with one another in such a way that the holding elements 15, 16, 17 in the unstressed state radially from the outside into the grooves 12 between the webs 11 of the Column profile can be introduced.

1 and 4, the two lateral holding elements 15, 16, which are made of spring steel, are connected to one another at their rear ends (at 18), so that they form an approximately V-shaped one-piece component. At their front end facing the support profile 10, the lateral holding elements 15, 16 each have a claw-like curvature 19 with which the thickened ends 20 of the webs 11 of the support profile 10 are engaged behind in the tensioned state of the turnbuckle 14.

1 (see also FIG. 10), the two lateral holding elements 15, 16 are arranged symmetrically to the already mentioned middle holding element 17. The middle holding element 17 engages with its front end (on the support profile side) between two adjacent webs 11 of the support profile 10. Fig. 1 makes it clear that the width of the middle holding element 17 corresponds exactly to the distance between the mutually arranged adjacent webs 11 of the support profile 10, so that when they are acted upon from the outside by the claws 19 of the lateral holding elements 15, 16, inside can support on the middle holding element 17.

As can further be seen from the drawing, in particular FIGS. 1, 2 and 10, the three holding elements 15, 16 and 17 are arranged in a turnbuckle housing numbered 21 overall (see also the perspective separate illustration of the same in FIG. 3). The turnbuckle housing 21 is made of plastic and is preferably (because of the simple and cost-saving production) designed as a molded part.

A special feature is that the middle holding element 17 is integrally formed on the turnbuckle housing 21. The two lateral holding elements 15, 16, which likewise form a common component, are arranged in a special, approximately U-shaped recess 22 of the turnbuckle housing 21. For this purpose, the U-shaped recess 22 has an inclined surface 23 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) that slopes from the back to the front (in the direction of the support profile 10, FIG. 1), and the lateral holding elements 15, 16 are also designed to be correspondingly chamfered ( 2 and 4), the inclined surfaces of the lateral holding elements 15, 16 being numbered 24. This results in the narrowest material extension at the connection point 18 in the lateral holding elements 15, 16.

As the drawing, in particular FIGS. 3 and 4, further makes clear, bores 25, 26 and 27 are incorporated into the three holding elements 15, 16 and 17, which are in alignment with one another in the assembled position of the turnbuckle 14 and for receiving one designated 28 overall Serve clamping device (see. Fig. 1, 2 and 10).

5-9. Accordingly, the clamping device 28 has a central cylindrical part 29 passing through the bores 25, 26, 27 of the holding elements 15, 16, 17 and two washer parts 30 and 12 located at the ends thereof 31 on. In the assembly position (FIGS. 1, 2 and 10), the two disk parts 30, 31 of the clamping device 28 enclose the two lateral holding elements 15, 16 (and also the middle holding element 17) between them. Each disk part - 30 or 31 - has a bevelled inner surface 32 or 33 with which it rests on the respectively associated lateral holding element 15 or 16 (see in particular FIG. 1). The slope of the inner surfaces 32, 33 of the disk parts 30, 31 thus corresponds approximately to the plane formed by the associated lateral holding element (15 or 16).

Another special feature of the tensioning device 28 is that it is composed of two tensioning device elements 34 (FIGS. 5-7) and 35 (FIGS. 8 and 9), as can be seen in particular from FIGS. 5-9. Here, each clamping device element - 34 or 35 - is assigned one of the disk parts - 30 or 31 -. As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the one clamping device element 34 consists of the disk part 30 and the central cylindrical part 29 firmly connected to it, into which the latter an axial slot 36 is machined with walls at an angle to one another (see in particular FIG. 6). In the other clamping device element 35 (FIGS. 8 and 9), a flattened driver 37 is formed on the disc part 31, the contours of which are complementary to the contours of the axial slot 36 on the cylindrical part 29 (compare in particular FIGS. 6 and 9).

In the assembly position of the turnbuckle 14 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 10), the driver 37 of the tensioning device element 35 (FIGS. 8 and 9) engages in the axial slot 36 of the tensioning device element 34 (FIGS. 5-7) and thus sets a rotationally fixed, however, axially displaceable connection of the two elements 34, 35 forming the clamping device 28. The angular boundary walls of the slot 36 on the one hand and the driver 37 on the other hand ensure a functional assignment of the two clamping device elements 34, 35, as a result of which assembly errors are avoided.

As a further special feature it should be mentioned that the turnbuckle housing 21 only reaches up to the circular peripheral contours of the disk parts 30, 31 (see in particular FIGS. 2, 3 and 10). The adjacent surfaces 38 of the turnbuckle housing 21 are designed in the form of a partial arc.

In order to bring the turnbuckle 14 into the closed position on the support profile 10 (FIG. 1), the tensioning device 28 has to be turned. For this purpose, this has a hexagonal recess 39 for actuation by a corresponding one Hexagon wrench. For adjusting the turnbuckle 14 from the open position (Fig. 1) in the closed position is sufficient due to the (inner) inclined surfaces 32, 33 of tensioning device 28, a rake angle of at most 180 ^o what (maximum) corresponds to only one half revolution of the tensioning device. The two lateral holding elements 15, 16 are pressed together against their spring resistance, their claw-like ends 19 firmly engaging behind the thickenings 20 on the webs 11 of the support profile.

The loosening process of the tensioning device 28 (adjustment of the tensioning lock 14 in the open position) takes place in a corresponding manner, ie by turning the tensioning device 28 by (maximum) 180 ^° , but in the opposite direction of rotation as in the closing process. As a result of the resilient design of the lateral holding elements 15, 16, these automatically spread apart, and the turnbuckle (together with the support 13 engaging on it) can be detached from the support profile 10 and moved away.

An overtightening of the clamping device 28 is advantageously avoided in that a radially directed extension 42 or 43 is formed as a stop on the circumference of each of the two disk parts - 30 or 31 - which at the end of the respective actuation process with adjacent surfaces 44 or 45 of the Lock housing 21 comes to the plant.

To fix the turnbuckle 14 in the carrier 13 designed as a hollow frame profile, the following should also be noted. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the carrier 13 has a lateral bore 40 into which the clamping device 28 engages with an extension 41 (see also FIGS. 2, 5 and 7) screwed onto the disk part 30. This results in a form-fitting fixation of the turnbuckle 14 within the carrier 13. When the turnbuckle 14 is brought into the closed position or is in this position (cf. the explanations above), on the one hand, the resilient reaction force of the compressed lateral holding elements 15, 16 results and the axial displaceability of the clamping device elements 34, 35 on the other hand a lateral support of the disc parts 30, 31 which at the same time an (additional) non-positive connection between the turnbuckle 14 and carrier 13 is effected on the inside walls of the carrier 13, in an advantageous manner.

At the same time, advantageously, the lateral support of the pane parts 30, 31 on the carrier 13 results in a relief of the pane parts 30, 31 with regard to their bending stress when the two lateral holding elements 15, 16 are braced.

Another special feature of the embodiment shown in the drawing (see in particular FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) is that a vertical slot 46 is machined in the rear region of the turnbuckle housing 21 and is cut at right angles by a bore 47. In the slot 46, a nut 48 is arranged, which is preferably designed as a square. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 2, slot 46 and bore 47 are assigned to one another in such a way that the square nut 48 inserted in slot 46 can be reached by a screw (not shown) inserted into bore 47. The aforementioned measures serve the purpose of attaching additional elements (which can be of any nature) to the rear area of the turnbuckle 14.

Alternatively, it is also possible - and this variant will be preferred if a reduced longitudinal extension of the turnbuckle housing 21 is desired or necessary - to omit the vertical slot 46, rather only an axial hole (corresponding to the "bore 47") in the Inject turnbuckle housing 21. This axial hole can then - if necessary - serve as a core hole for a thread to be cut.

Claims (9)

1. A device for erecting walls and or ceilings especially for exhibition purposes as at fairs and to be used as exhibition pavilions, free-standing structures, single- or multi-story lobby booths and the like, comprising a support shaped-section (10), a beam (13) for wall- and/or ceiling segments being detachably affixed to approximately cross-sectionally T-shaped webs (11) of said support shaped-section (10), said device further comprising a clamping lock (14) detachably affixed to the inside of said beam (13) which is hollow, said lock (14) comprising a central retaining element (17) and two springsteel lateral retaining elements (15, 16) arranged symmetrically relative to said central retaining element (17), the three retaining elements (15, 16, 17) in the assembly position of said device entering undercut channels (12) defined by the webs (11) of the support shaped-section (10) and at the same time being tightened, by a rotationally driven tightening system (28) passing through mutually flush clearances (25, 26, 27), against two adjacent webs (11) of the support shaped-section (10), and the clamping lock (14) being simultaneously affixed inside the beam (13) by the tightening system (28),
   characterized in that the two lateral, elastic retaining elements (15, 16) are integrally joined (at 18) at their rear ends away from the support shaped-section (10) and are mounted in a clamping-lock housing (21) also receiving the central retaining element (17) and the rotatable tightening system (28), and in that the tightening system (28) comprises two axially mutually displaceably and detachable tightening-system components (34, 35) which however in the assembled position are linked together to be mutually irrotational, and in that the tightening system (28) further comprises a central, cylindrical part (29) crossing the three retaining elements (15, 16, 17) through mutually flush boreholes (25, 26, 27) and further comprises two external washers (30, 31) located at the ends of said central, cylindrical part (29) and enclosing between them the two lateral retaining elements (15, 16), the said washers (30, 31) comprising inner surfaces (32, 33) being in contact with each of the lateral retaining elements (15, 16), one of the washers (30, 31) being associated to each of the two tightening-system components (34, 35), and in that the inner surfaces (32, 33) of said external washers (30, 31) each comprising an actuation slanting surface corresponding to the plane subtended by the associated retaining element (15, 16) respectively, and in that the external surfaces of the washers (30, 31) are laterally supported by the inner surfaces of the beam (13).
2. Device defined in claim 1,
   characterized in that the clamping-lock housing (21) is integral with the central retaining element (17) and comprises an approximately U-shaped clearance (22) receiving the two lateral retaining elements (15, 16) which also form an integral component.
3. Device defined in claim 2,
   characterized in that the U-shaped clearance (22) located in the clamping-lock housing (21) and receiving the lateral retaining elements (15, 16) evinces a rest surface (23) sloping downward from the rear to the front (toward the support shaped-section) for the purpose of supporting the lateral retaining elements (15, 16) and in that the said retaining elements (15, 16) are slanting (24) in corresponding manner in such a way that their rear junction (18) is the narrowest and that they continuously widen toward their free ends (19) (in the direction of the support shaped-section 10).
4. Device defined in claim 2 or 3,
   characterized in that the clamping-lock housing (21) together with the central retaining element (17) is made of plastic and preferably is made by injection molding.
5. Device defined in one or more of the foregoing claims,
   characterized in that the two external washers (30, 31) of the tightening system (28) are circular and in that the clamping-lock housing (21) only extends on each side as far as the washers (30, 31) and rests against them in each case by a circular segment (38).
6. Device defined in one of claims 1 to 5,
   characterized in that one (34) of the tightening-system components consists of a washer (30) and of the central, cylindrical part (29) rigidly fastened to it, and in that said central, cylindrical part (29) comprises an axial slot (36) which cooperates with a geometrically locking and approximately lamellar drive (37).
7. Device defined in claim 6,
   characterized in that the tightening-system component (34) comprising the cental, cylindrical part (29) is die cast and in that the other tightening-system component (35) is a sintered metal.
8. Device defined in one of claims 5 to 7,
   characterized in that a radially directed projection (42, 43) is present as a stop at least on one washer (30 or 31), preferably on both washers (30, 31) of the tightening system (28), and cooperates with the front edges (44, 45) (on the side of the support shaped-section) of the clamping-lock housing (21) as the stop-matching surface.
9. Device defined in one of claims 1 to 8,
   characterized in that retaining elements (15, 16) forming an integral component and starting from their junction (18) diverge toward their free ends (19) in such manner that the integral component (15, 16) substantially assumes a V-shape.

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